Giant Pacific Octopus at SEA LIFE

Incredible Adaptations

Which creature has three hearts, eight arms and a doughnut shaped brain? You guessed it: it’s the octopus!

Octopus are mollusks, which means they are from the same phylum (or family) as slugs, snails, cuttlefish and squid. They are well known for being very clever. In fact, they are one of the most intelligent invertebrate species (that means animals with no backbone). Generally, octopuses are solitary creatures that hunt at dusk. They eat all manner of things from crabs to crayfish and even other molluscs.

Having no bones makes these cunning predators hard to evade because they can squeeze into tiny nooks and crannies to get to their dinner. As long as the gap is large enough for their eyeballs, then they can fit! They can also change the color and texture of their skin to camouflage perfectly with their surroundings, helping them to sneak up on prey as well as hide from predators.

Their camouflage ability is amazing. They change not only the color of their skin, but the texture as well to blend into any environment.

Octopuses have very well-developed eyes and can recognize and distinguish individual people.

Octopuses typically feed on crabs and shrimp, but will also eat fish and have even been known to take down small sharks!

Their camouflage ability is amazing. They change not only the color of their skin, but the texture as well to blend into any environment.

Their camouflage ability is amazing. They change not only the color of their skin, but the texture as well to blend into any environment.

Octopuses have very well-developed eyes and can recognize and distinguish individual people.

Octopuses have very well-developed eyes and can recognize and distinguish individual people.

Octopuses typically feed on crabs and shrimp, but will also eat fish and have even been known to take down small sharks!

Octopuses typically feed on crabs and shrimp, but will also eat fish and have even been known to take down small sharks!